The lads awakened early in spite of the fact that they had not gone early to bed. Stubbs already had taken his departure, but he had left a note which read:
"Good-bye. You were sleeping so peacefully I didn't wish to disturb you. You'll hear from me after I land the big scoop. Stubbs."
Upon entering the office of Marshal Foch the lads stood at attention for some moments before the marshal noticed their presence. Then he motioned them to approach.
"I'm very busy now," he said, indicating a mass of papers on his desk, "so I will ask you to sit down and await my pleasure. I am expecting momentarily to have news upon which to base a communication to General Pershing."
He turned back to his desk, and Hal and Chester found seats in the far end of the room.
From time to time, French officers hurried in, reported to Marshal Foch and departed again as hurriedly.
Marshal Foch tapped a bell on his desk. An officer who answered the part of private secretary arose from a desk across the room and hurried to his commander's side.
"Any word from General Marcel?" asked Marshal Foch.
"None, your excellency."
"Strange. My information indicated that developments would begin before now. What day is this, Colonel?"
"The eighth of November, your excellency."
"So it is, I had forgotten. In times like these, it seems I cannot keep track of the days. If General Marcel has not reported in the next half hour, you will send a messenger to ascertain why."
"Very well, sir."
The officer resumed his seat and Marshal Foch again plunged into the mass of papers on his desk.
Half an hour passed and in the interval no one had entered the room. Marshal Foch's secretary arose and approached his commander.
"I shall send a messenger to General Marcel now, your excellency," he said.
Marshal Foch nodded, but did not raise his head from his work.
The secretary left the room. He returned five minutes later and resumed his seat without a word.
Another half an hour passed.
Then an officer in full general's regalia entered and approached Marshal Foch.
"I am here, sir," he said, saluting.
The French commander looked up.
"Ah, General Marcel," he exclaimed. "And what have you to report, sir?"
"Nothing, your excellency."
"Nothing?"
"Nothing, sir. I have heard no word from the enemy since my conversation with you last night."
"Please repeat to me your reply of last night to the unofficial overtures made through the Swiss ambassador. My memory is not as good as it once was, general."
"I simply repeated your words, sir. I said: 'If the German general staff desires to ask an armistice on the western front, the allied forces will respect a flag of truce.'"
"And that is all, general?"
"That is all, sir. It was plain enough. The enemy knows now that he need attempt to gain no delay by subterfuge. If he is sincere in his appeal, a flag of truce will be sent from the German lines."
"Exactly," said Marshal Foch. "In the meantime, general, I shall order an attack in force along the whole front."
"I shall report to you the moment there are developments," said General Marcel.
"Very well, general. Let us hope the developments will come speedily. That is all."
General Marcel saluted and withdrew.
Marshal Foch swung again to his secretary.
"Summon General Magnin," he instructed.
The secretary went out hurriedly. He returned a moment later accompanied by a second figure, General Magnin, then acting chief of staff.
"General," said Marshal Foch, "I am going to order a further advance all along the line. Will you see that the necessary orders are given, at once?"
"At once, your excellency," said General Magnin, and withdrew with haste.
"Now, that's what I call getting action," Hal whispered to Chester.
"You bet," was Chester's low response.
Once more the French commander became immersed in his work. He took no notice of Hal and Chester, who, though trying to be as patient as possible, were beginning to get restless and to fidget uneasily.
At noon Marshal Foch showed no intention of stopping work for lunch.
"I can stand it if he can, I guess," Chester told himself.
At 2 o'clock the French commander was still with the papers and maps before him.
At 3 o'clock General Marcel entered hurriedly.
"General Dupree reports a flag of truce advancing from the enemy lines south of Rocroi, sir," he said, his voice trembling under repressed emotion.
Marshal Foch was on his feet instantly.
"By 'phone?" he demanded.
"Yes, sir."
"And what else did he say?"
"That is all, sir."
"Very well. Report to your own station, general. I'll get General Dupree on the wire myself."
General Marcel withdrew.
"Colonel Matin!"
The French commander's secretary was on his feet instantly.
"Get General Dupree for me on the wire at once."
Colonel Matin seized the telephone. Five minutes later he said:
"General Dupree on the wire, your excellency."
Marshal Foch seized the instrument.
"Hello, Dupree," he said into the transmitter. "This is Marshal Foch. Has the flag of truce reached our lines yet?"
"No, sir," was the response over the wire. "There seems to be some doubt that it will reach our lines."
"Some doubt? What do you mean?"
"The bearer has turned back twice, sir, and—one moment." The voice broke off and for several moments Marshal Foch waited impatiently. At last General Dupree spoke again: "The flag of truce is advancing again, sir."
"Good," said Marshal Foch. "I'll keep the wire open. Inform me at once of what the messenger says."
For perhaps five minutes Marshal Foch held the 'phone himself. From time to time his eyes wandered to the mass of papers that littered his desk. He called suddenly:
"Major Crawford!"
Chester sprang to his feet with alacrity and advanced to the marshal's side.
"Take this 'phone and inform me the moment General Dupree is on the wire again."
Chester did as commanded, and sat motionless before the telephone. Marshal Foch, meanwhile, bent over his desk and buried himself in maps and papers.
Not for a moment, it seemed, could this active man rest. He could not even content himself the few moments necessary to await further word from General Dupree. His mind was never idle. He was busy and active every minute he was awake. This, perhaps, was what made him the great and successful military genius he was.
A voice came over the wire to Chester's ear.
"Your excellency?"
"One moment," said Chester.
He found it unnecessary to apprise Marshal Foch that General Dupree was on the wire again. At the first sound of the lad's voice, the French commander had left his chair and stepped to Chester's side. Now he took the receiver from the lad's hand.
"This is Foch," he said. "Well?"
"The message from the enemy," said General Dupree, "is signed by Ludendorff. In effect, it requests a meeting between a commission of Germans and the allies to discuss terms of an armistice."
"Hm-m," said Marshal Foch. "Signed by Ludendorff, eh?"
"You may tell the envoy," said Marshal Foch, "that to-morrow at noon I shall be at Hirson, accompanied by my staff. A flag of truce from the enemy's lines will be respected then as now. If it is the earnest and true wish of the enemy to seek means of bringing an end to hostilities, I may be seen at Hirson at that hour. That is all, general."
Marshal Foch replaced the receiver and returned to his desk. Then, instead of plunging again into the mass of work awaiting his attention, he sat in thought for some time. At last he raised his head.
"It has been thoughtless of me to keep you gentlemen here all this time," he said to Hal and Chester, "but to tell the truth for the time being I had forgotten your presence. Now, I don't know as it is really necessary for me to send any word to General Pershing. However, I shall be in touch with him by telephone shortly, and I shall take pleasure at that time in informing him that I am taking you with me to Hirson to-morrow."
In spite of themselves, Hal and Chester uttered exclamations of pure astonishment.
Marshal Foch smiled.
"I know it is a strange procedure," he admitted. "Still, it will be well if I have some one besides French officers when I meet the German delegates. Do you care to go?"
"Of course, your excellency," said Chester breathlessly.
"Of course, sir," declared Hal.
"Then go you shall," said Marshal Foch. "Report to me here to-morrow morning at 6 o'clock."
Hal and Chester saluted and took their departure, their spirits high.